Cara gave me a hesitant look. I placed a hand on her shoulder. "Cara, I know you don't trust me. But you must believe me when I say that I won't harm Mando."
She nodded. "Do what you can to save him."
"I will." I assured her.
I then carefully handed her the child. Ani approached my side along with Kaytia. I knew they both wanted to stay with me, but they had to move forth.
"Kay, Ani you must go with my friends. You'll be safe with them. I'll meet up with you later, Kay." I stated. I then turned towards Cara. "Take care of my daughter."
"I will." Cara replied.
With that, Ani, Karga, Cara, and Kaytia all rushed inside the sewers' vent. I turned around to see IG-11 making his way towards Mando. He hadn't seen that I remained behind just yet. Mando was looking at the IG-11.
"Do it." Mando advised.
"Do what?" IG-11 inquired.
"Just get it over with. I'd rather you kill me than some Imp." Mando clarified.
"I told you. I am no longer a hunter. I am a nurse droid." IG-11 reminded him.
Mando scoffed. "IGs are all hunters."
IG-11 shook his head. "Not this one. I was reprogrammed."
"Mando, you've got to believe him." I urged as I knelt beside him.
Mando then weakly turned his head to face me. "What are you doing here?"
"I couldn't leave you, not after everything you've done for me." I explained. "I'm not leaving. No matter what you do or say."
IG-11 then intervened, reminding us of Mando's state. "I need to remove your helmet if I am to save you."
Mando raised a blaster towards him. "Try it and I'll kill you. It is forbidden. No living thing has seen me without my helmet since I swore the Creed."
"I am not a living thing." IG-11 corrected.
Mando looked over at me and I immediately understood. Without thinking twice, I took off the scarf around my neck that covered my scar and placed it around my eyes. I tied the scarf before turning to face Mando.
"Now I can't see you." I commented.
At my words, I heard his helmet click before it was dropped onto the ground. I then heard IG-11's voice. "This is a bacta spray. It will heal you in a matter of hours. You have suffered damage to your central processing unit."
"You mean my brain?" Mando asked.
"That was a joke. It is meant to put you at ease." IG-11 explained.
Mando chuckled. I couldn't help but crack a smile. "I have something that will help speed up the process."
"How will anything beat bacta spray?" IG-11 inquired.
I ignored his question as I gently placed a hand on the back of Mando's head, which was still covered in blood and now bacta spray. I focused on my surroundings as I reached out to the Force. I concentrated on Mando's wound before using all my strength to heal him. I felt weaker as his wound healed, but I pushed forth until his wound was completely healed.
"Impossible..." IG-11 said. "She..."
"Healed my wound." Mando mentioned, finishing his sentence.
I then felt a gloved hand on my cheek. My heart beat quickened as he caressed my cheek. A pair of lips then clashed against mine. I let out a gasp before deepening the kiss. I felt as though several sparks were flying through me. I then placed my hands in the locks of his hair. Once we pulled away, he placed his forehead against mine. I couldn't help but wear a huge grin on my face. I couldn't be any happier. IG-11 cleared his throat. "If you two are done professing your love for each other, we should be going. They will come in at any moment."
I could feel my cheeks turn as red as a Sith lightsaber. I hope I didn't look too flustered. I then spoke up, agreeing with IG-11. "He's right, Mando..."
"Call me Din." He urged.
I smiled. "Din, it suits you."
He gave my hand a squeeze before letting go. After a few moments, Din spoke. "You can take your scarf off. My helmet's back on."
At his words, I took off the scarf from my eyes. I saw Din with his helmet back on. I gave him a smile. Din gave me a nod in return. "Let's go."
Din, IG-11, and I then made our way into the sewers. Din had a light from his helmet, showing the path of the dark hallways. It wasn't long until we found Cara, Kaytia who was holding the child, Ani, and Karga. Once they saw us, Kaytia rushed towards us, giving me a hug.
"Mom!" Kaytia cried out.
I placed my arms around her, rubbing her back. "It's all right, Kay. I'm here and I'm not going anywhere."
The child then cooed as he reached his hands out towards me. I smiled before gently taking the child from Kaytia and placing him in my arms. I then handed him over to IG-11, who had the bag to put the child in. He carefully placed the child inside with his head peaking out.
"Do you know which way to go?" Karga questioned.
"No. I don't know these tunnels. I've only entered from the bazaar." Din mentioned.
"Well, if we get the smell of sulfur and we follow it, it'll lead us up to the plains where the river flows." Karga suggested.
"And the Imps will catch us before we make it to the ship. We need the Mandalorians to escort us to safety." Din argued.
As we walked through the endless hallways, Cara groaned. "Ugh, this place is a maze."
"I'll try to find tracks." Din said before using his helmet to find the way to the Mandalorians.
"We're close. Turn here." Din advised.
At his words, we turned inside a room. Once we entered, we saw Mandalorian helmets and armor all cluttered together in a pile. My stomach churned at the sight. Din made his way towards the armor, kneeling in front of it.
"We should go." Cara suggested.
Kaytia nodded. "I agree."
"You go. Take the ship. I can't leave it this way." Din advised. He then turned towards Karga. "Did you know about this? Is this the work of your bounty hunters?"
"No. When you left the system and took the prize, the fighting ended and the hunters just melted away. You know how it is. They're mercenaries. They're not zealots." Karga protested.
Din stormed over towards him, raising his voice. "Did you do this? Did you?"
"No!" Karga exclaimed.
Before Din could do anything, we heard a woman's voice. "It was not his fault."
We all turned around to see a female Mandalorian, wearing her armor and horns on her helmet. She grabbed the armor and helmets before placing them in a cart. "We revealed ourselves. We knew what could happen if we left the covert. The Imperials arrived shortly thereafter. This is what resulted."
"Did any survive?" Din asked.
"I hope so. Some may have escaped off-world." She informed us.
"Come with us." Din urged.
"No. I will not abandon this place until I have salvaged what remains." She replied.
The Mandalorian then walked out of the room with the cart. Din gave us one look before following after her. And we went after him. We followed her into a smelter room, where she began melting the armor and helmets.
"Show me the one whose safety deemed such destruction." She said before turning to face us.
IG-11 stepped forth, showing the child that was still in the bag.
"This is the one." Din mentioned.
The Mandalorian tilted her head. "This is the one that you hunted, then saved?"
"Yes. The one that saved me as well." Din stated.
"From the mudhorn?" She inquired.
"Yes." Din confirmed.
"It looks helpless." She inspected.
At her words, the child winced. Din immediately defended him. "It's injured, but it is not helpless. Its species can move objects with its mind."
"I know of such things. The songs of eons past tell of battles between Mandalore The Great, and an order of sorcerers called Jedi that fought with such powers." She explained.
"It is an enemy?" Din asked, sounding baffled.
"No. Its kind were enemies, but this individual is not." She corrected.
My stomach dropped at her words. The Jedi would always be seen as enemies of the Mandalorians. I placed a hand on Kaytia's shoulder, keeping her close to me.
"What is it?" He asked.
"It is a foundling. By Creed, it is in your care." She clarified.
The Mandalorian moved over to a compartment filled with tools and weapons. No doubt she was an armorer, which would make sense due to tools and weapons that lied not only in the compartment but on the tables beside us.
"You wish me to train this thing?" Din inquired.
"It is too weak. It would die. You have no choice. You must reunite it with its own kind." She explained.
"Where?"
"This, you must determine."
"You expect me to search the galaxy for the home of this creature and deliver it to a race of enemy sorcerers?" Din questioned, sounding very bewildered.
I looked away, refusing to look at Din. I watched as the female Mandalorian used the melted Beskar armor to create something new. The Mandalorian nodded. "This is the Way."
"Hey, these tunnels will be lousy with Imps in a matter of minutes. We should at least discuss an escape plan." Cara intervened.
"If you follow the descending tunnel, it will lead you to the underground river. It flows downstream toward the lava flats." The Mandalorian mentioned.
"I think we should go." Karga suggested.
"I'm staying. I need to help her and I need to heal." Din argued.
"You must go. A foundling is in your care." The Mandalorian protested. "By Creed, until it is of age or reunited with its own kind, you are as its father."
At her words, the child cooed. It warmed my heart. I couldn't help but smile. The Mandalorian nodded. "This is the Way."
She then walked over towards Din with something in her hand. "You have earned your Signet. You are a clan of two."
Once she placed the symbol over Din's pauldron, she stepped back. I recognized the symbol as a mudhorn. Din glanced down at the signet, staring at it. I could sense his emotions of happiness and awe.
"Thank you. I will wear this with honor. But I am not a clan of two." Din replied. He then looked over at me. "I am a clan of four."
I couldn't help but look at Din with a huge grin on my face. Kaytia glanced over me with a puzzled look on her face. Kaytia was a very curious girl and I hadn't told her who her father was. So now upon hearing this, she must confused. I gave her a smile. "I'll explain everything later."
At that moment, we heard an explosion in the distance. We all exchanged looks of horror. They were coming.
"We should go." Karga insisted.
"IG, please guard the outer hallway. A scouting party draws near." The Mandalorian urged.
The IG-11 turned towards Cara, placing the bag with the child in her arms. Cara immediately protested. "Hang on. I don't do the baby thing."
The child let out a happy squeal as he raised a hand up towards her face. Despite her words, the IG-11 ignored her and walked out into the hallway. The Mandalorian turned back to the desk next to her compartment. "I have one more gift for your journey. Have you trained in the Rising Phoenix?"
Din nodded. "When I was a boy. Yes."
"Then this will make you complete." The Mandalorian said as she turned around with a jetpack in her hands.
"Thank you." Din replied, giving her a small nod.
"When you have healed, you will begin your drills. Until you know it, it will not listen to your commands." The Mandalorian informed him.
"I understand." Din assured her.
At that moment, we heard the sound of blasters. We took out our blasters, prepared for the stormtroopers to barge in. However once the blasting stopped, IG-11 walked back towards us. "You are protected."
"More will come. You must go." The Mandalorian urged.
"Come with us." Din insisted.
"My place is here. Restock your munitions." The Mandalorian replied. She then turned to the IG-11, giving him the jetpack. "IG, carry this for Din Djarin until he is well enough to wear it. Now, go. Down to the river and across the plains. Be safe on your journey."
"Thank you." Din said.
After Din restocked his ammo, we made our way to the river. It wasn't long until we found the river lava with a small boat. Once we reached the boat, we saw a ferry droid that looked fried.
"This is the lava river." Karga commented.
"The ferry droid is fried." Din pointed out.
"Yeah, but if we push the boat out, we can get it to float downstream. Come on." Karga protested.
"Looks old. Will it take the heat?" Din asked.
Karga raised an eyebrow. "You got a better idea?"
Din shrugged. "Guess not."
The both of them then tried to push the boat off from the side, but it wasn't working. Cara immediately intervened. She handed the child over to me before raising her blaster. "You guys mind getting out of the way?"
In a heartbeat, she was able to free the boat. At once, we all quickly climbed into the boat before it moved away from the hallway we came from. The underground river looked rather long with the opening appearing to be quite far from us.
"Good job." Karga commented.
"Watch your feet. It's molten lava." IG-11 warned.
"No kidding." Cara retorted.
At that moment, the ferry droid woke up, shaking the rubble off of itself before rising up. Din, Karga, and Cara immediately raised their blasters as we watched it move about. It had a metal stick in his hand to help move the boat faster. The droid let out a few beeps.
"I don't suppose anybody here speaks droid?" Din asked.
Before I could speak the IG-11 beat me to it. "I believe he is asking where we would like to go."
"Down river. To the lava flat." Karga ordered.
The droid let out an affirmative beep before moving the boat. Din, Cara, and Karga lowered their blasters. We then turned around, facing the front of the boat. Once we were close to the opening, Kaytia let out a sigh of relief. "We're almost there."
"That's it. We're free!" Karga exclaimed.
At once, Din shook his head. "No. No, we're not. Stormtroopers. They're flanking the mouth of the tunnel. It looks like an entire platoon. They must know we're coming."
I exchanged a look with the others. What do we do now?